


Peppermint Toads

by alexjosten



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: AFTG Winter Exchange 2017, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Hogwarts Seventh Year, M/M, POV Andrew Minyard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-13 07:49:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12979440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexjosten/pseuds/alexjosten
Summary: Neil was minding his own business eating his Christmas dinner when Andrew dropped a four inch thick tome on the table in front of him with a resounding slam.“Lupine Lawlessness: Why Lycanthropes Don’t Deserve to Live, by Professor Emerett Picardy. Fascinating read,” Andrew drawled as he took the bench opposite his new nemesis.Neil flicked him an annoyed glance and then went back to slicing through a rare cut of roast beef, “Go away, Minyard. The werewolf jokes got old in third year.”-Andrew discovers a student is hiding a secret that could put Kevin in danger. He stays at Hogwarts over the winter break to resolve it.





	Peppermint Toads

**Author's Note:**

> Gift fic for scattered-shadows who requested a Neil & Andrew Hogwarts AU as part of the 2017 Winter aftgexchange. I was really thankful when I got this prompt, because I’m a huge Potterhead so this was an absolute pleasure to research and write. Enjoy!

 

Breaking into the headmaster’s office at Hogwarts wasn’t particularly difficult for Andrew, considering the passwords had historically always been the names of various magical sweets. After seven years of visiting Honeydukes (only four of which were permitted), Andrew had sampled and memorised the entire store’s catalogue, so reeling off names until he landed on ‘ _Peppermint Toads_ ’ was more a test of his patience rather than his cleverness.

He ignored the suspicious glances and whispered words from the portraits of the previous headmasters as he rifled through the contents of Headmistress McGonagall’s desk. It didn’t take him long to find what he was looking for: the register of students who were staying at Hogwarts over the winter holidays.

He scanned through the Ravenclaws, looking to see if Aaron or Katelyn had been added to the list. His twin had boldly proclaimed he was going home for the holidays with him and Nicky, but Andrew hadn’t believed it for a second after Aaron had conspired to stay unsupervised in the castle with Katelyn last year. Andrew had only discovered his brother’s betrayal after he was already stuck in a carriage on the Hogwarts Express going home. He wouldn’t be tricked twice.

It seemed that this year, however, Aaron was telling the truth. Andrew was about to toss the list back to McGonagall’s desk when a name under a different house caught his eye. It was a name that he recognised from the list of Death Eaters that were still at large after breaking out of Azkaban during the Second Wizarding War:  _Wesninski_.

It didn’t surprise him to find the name was under Slytherin. What concerned him was that Kevin hadn’t told him someone from an infamous Death Eater family was in his house- which meant that Kevin  _didn’t know_. And if Kevin, as paranoid as he was after his history, wasn’t aware… that meant this particular student was keeping his identity a secret.

Andrew didn’t like secrets. Especially ones that threatened his things.

He picked up a quill and scratched his own name onto the list.

*

Hogwarts felt larger after the majority of the student body packed their trunks and went home. The Great Hall tried to compensate by boasting Christmas trees so gigantic that their tips brushed against the snowy skies of the Enchanted Ceiling. The woven garlands of holly, mistletoe and tinsel in every doorway were so ostentatiously bulky that students had to squeeze together to get through the narrow space that was left. Even the warm, dry snow fluttering down from above seemed determined to collect upon the books and homework of the remaining students to distract them with festive cheer, however Andrew was more focused than ever.

After sifting through the lies of the Daily Prophet and the utter nonsense of the Quibbler from the back catalogue in the library, Andrew pieced together a working theory: Nathan Wesninski had been a werewolf serving under Fenrir Greyback during the Second Wizarding War, sentenced to life in Azkaban but broken out shortly before the Battle of Hogwarts. Further research revealed that he had a son, Nathaniel Wesninski, born in January 1987- which would have placed him in the same school year as both Andrew and Kevin.

Since the other Slytherin seventh years had gone home for the holidays, this narrowed Andrew’s hunt down to the one remaining student: Neil Josten, starting Chaser for the Slytherin Quidditch team.

Andrew knew him, of course. Over their seven years at Hogwarts they had shared various classes together. Neil stood out- not only for the auburn hair that made him the butt of every Weasley joke, but also for the deep gashes that scored the skin on one side of his face. Wounds like that weren’t uncommon after the war, even on the younger students, but now combined with Andrew’s theory about who Neil actually was, he couldn’t help but think those scars looked awfully like claw marks.

Considering Kevin was close to Neil as a fellow Chaser and Captain of the Slytherin team, and would be sharing a dorm with him when he returned to school in a week, Andrew felt the need to act quickly.

Neil was minding his own business eating his Christmas dinner when Andrew dropped a four inch thick tome on the table in front of him with a resounding slam.

“Lupine Lawlessness: Why Lycanthropes Don’t Deserve to Live, by Professor Emerett Picardy. Fascinating read,” Andrew drawled as he took the bench opposite his new nemesis.

Neil flicked him an annoyed glance and then went back to slicing through a rare cut of roast beef, “Go away, Minyard. The werewolf jokes got old in third year.”

“I know what you are. Or should I say who? Interesting how you managed to get all of the professors to play along and call you by your new name in class.”

That got Neil’s attention. His chin snapped up and he held his head high as he stared Andrew down. His lips contracted in a snarl, “Are you really so bored without Kevin around that you’ve resorted to making up fantasies? Leave me alone.”

Andrew drummed his fingers across the book’s cover, underlining the subtitle, “How about I present you a deal. If you can score on me, I’ll leave you alone and your secret stays safe. If I block all your shots, I let the Prophet find out that Hogwarts is knowingly housing a class five beast, you pack your bags and get the fuck out of my school.”

Neil ignored the threat and focused on the challenge instead, “Quidditch? I’ve never seen you play.”

“Exactly. So it should be easy for you, no?”

Neil looked bewildered, “You  _did_ hear that I got an offer to play for the Montrose Magpies when I graduate?”

Of course he had. Kevin hadn’t shut up about it when he had gotten his matching offer letter the same day. Andrew rolled his eyes, “I don’t care. Is it a deal? Yes or no.”

“Fine. Deal.”

*

Visibility was poor when they stepped out onto the Quidditch pitch. The beginnings of a blizzard had picked up as dusk fell, swirling around and slicing mercilessly at every sliver of exposed skin. Dark snow clouds loomed above, casting a grey shadow over everything that dared to step foot outside of the safety of the castle. Neil had tried to convince him to play on another night, but Andrew had chosen that night for a reason: in a matter of a few hours, it was going to be a full moon.

Choosing to spend time alone with a potential werewolf who was about to turn was reckless to say the least. Doing so while balancing being a hundred feet in the air with his crippling fear of heights made it downright suicidal. It was a wonder how Andrew had survived this long when he made a regular habit of making self destructive decisions in order to get what he wanted.

Andrew’s gloved fingers already felt numb as he tightened his grip around his broomstick, but not from the cold. Rather, it was from the way his stomach had bottomed out and his head span when he kicked off the ground and took to the sky. Neil had briefly attempted to delay their challenge again, even going as far as claiming to feel poorly- which only added to Andrew’s conviction that he was, in fact, a werewolf. However all complaints stopped once he had a Quaffle in his hands.

Andrew had seen Neil play before; Kevin had begged Andrew to supervise enough of his games, terrified of another jinx cursing his broom and leading to an even worse accident. But Andrew had never seen Neil play up close before. If Andrew hadn’t been so focused on determining if Neil was a threat, he would have lingered a bit longer on the thought of how the wind swept his hair back and brought colour to his cheeks . The boyish, competitive grin on his lips pulled Andrew’s attention away long enough that he nearly missed blocking the first shot.

Neil zipped away on his broom to collect the rebounded Quaffle and returned to hover a few feet away from Andrew, concentration and concern now knitted into his features. Having his shot blocked by some nobody was most likely alarming for a rising star like him, and Andrew took great pleasure in the distress he had caused. When Andrew continued to whip around and effortlessly block each subsequent shot, Neil started to get angry.

“What the hell, Minyard? I thought you didn’t play!”

“I don’t,” he replied coolly. His gaze drifted to the horizon and his heart dropped into his gut when he remembered how high up he was, and he continued in order to distract himself from his unease, “I’ve been practicing in private with Kevin since first year. We have a deal.”

Neil was astonished, “Why don’t you play for Ravenclaw? You could go pro. None of the other Keepers at school can block my shots like that.”

Andrew simply shrugged one shoulder, the movement jostling him on his broom and making his vision swim. He didn’t need to tell Neil about his fear of heights. He already felt dangerously close to the edge of tumbling loose from his perch - verbalising it would be the final push.

“Are we going to talk or are we going to play?” he snipped back.

Neil didn’t need to be told twice. He tucked the Quaffle under his arm and darted out of sight, disappearing into the snowstorm in a matter of seconds. Andrew squinted into the dusk, trying to spot where he would be approaching from. With each passing moment, the nausea gurgled in his stomach forebodingly. His temples pounded and threatened to collapse the dark edges of his vision inwards. He couldn’t tell if the ringing in his ears was from the wind whistling by or if it was all in his head.

He finally spotted Neil hurtling towards him from below. Andrew jerked his broom to the side to block his shot, but swayed into the motion too hard, taking his balance with him. His grip slipped. He tilted too far. And then, he fell.

*

Andrew came to in a dark place, the only light dimly provided by the moon pouring in through the frost-speckled windows. He sat up and the deep green Quidditch robe that had been keeping him warm slipped down to pool in his lap. He was in the Slytherin changing rooms, and he wasn’t alone.

Sat further down on the bench that he had been laying on was Neil. He was hunched over with his head in his hands, and he jolted upwards when he heard Andrew move.

“Thank Merlin. Are you okay? Did you break anything?”

Andrew frowned, but peeled off his gloves to flex his fingers, and then patted himself down to check for injuries. He didn’t remember hitting the ground, but he must have. His clothes had been nearly soaked from flying in the snow earlier, yet now they were magically dry, most likely due to a hot air charm.

“I know I should have taken you to Madame Pomfrey, but if they found out we were flying in this weather and you got hurt, I could get banned from playing for the rest of the season, and my offer from the Magpies depends on-”

Andrew cut him off, “Did you score?”

“What?”

“Before I passed out. Did you score,  _Wesninski_?”

Neil flinched and fell quiet. Andrew became acutely aware of the moonlight painting pale strips across Neil’s scarred face. Andrew stood and pointed his wand at him.

“I’m not a werewolf,” Neil declared confidently, however his voice wavered as he continued, “But since you know that name, you know who my father is.”

His hands were trembling as he gestured to his cheek, “This wasn’t from the war. It was from him. He tried to turn me before he was sent to Azkaban.”

Andrew slowly lowered his wand, “But he escaped.”

“Yes,” Neil shuddered, and lowered his head back into his hands. Andrew recognised the resignation in his body as something all too familiar he had once felt himself.

“He’s coming for you, isn’t he?”

Neil nodded.

“Hogwarts can only protect you for so long,” Andrew pointed out coldly, “What are you going to do when you and Kevin graduate? Once a werewolf shows up at a match and your real name gets out, your career will be ruined. Kevin’s too, most likely. No team will want to be associated with a Death Eater family.”

“You don’t think I know that?” Neil snapped and ripped his hands away from his face, “You don’t think I obsess over this every fucking day?” He stood up, getting in Andrew’s space as his blood boiled. “Do you have any idea how hard it was to dispel the rumours after we studied werewolves in third year? I’d get so anxious on the nights of a full moon that he was coming for me that I couldn’t get out of bed. People  _noticed_. And there’s only so long you can live in a dorm with four other guys before someone finds out you have bite marks on your body. I know my days are numbered, and I don’t need someone like  _you_ telling me.”

Andrew pushed two fingers into Neil’s chest to get him to back off. Something about the touch deflated him, and he crumpled back down onto the bench.

“You are a mess,” Andrew declared, “And you are creating problems for me.”

“This doesn’t involve you,” Neil hissed.

“Yes it does. I told you I have a deal with Kevin, didn’t I? I agreed to protect him. You are making that complicated by putting a target on his back.”

“Then uncomplicate it,” Neil retorted petulantly.

“Tell the Magpies you won’t accept their offer.”

“ _What?_ ” Neil looked like he had been sucker punched.

“If you don’t play for them, Kevin won’t get caught in the crossfire,” Andrew explained dispassionately.

Neil stared at him in disbelief, “You’re insane. They’re the best team in the UK. I can’t turn them down. That would end my career even faster.”

“I don’t care about your career.”

“Well, I don’t care about your stupid deal you made with Kevin.”

They were at an impasse. Neither were willing to back down.

“I could expose you,” Andrew threatened.

“And risk dragging Kevin’s reputation down with me? We’ve been inseparable on the pitch since first year.” Neil reminded him. Andrew wanted to wipe that cocky smirk off his face.

“You are impossible,” Andrew sighed, and the last of his resistance left his body in one breath, “Unfortunately, as long as my deal with Kevin is in place, you are inextricably part of it.”

Neil narrowed his eyes at him, “What do you mean?”

“After we graduate, I will watch your back for one year. During that time, I will prevent your reputation, and thus Kevin’s, from being dragged through the dirt. Additionally, I will protect you from your father.”

Andrew didn’t miss the flicker of hope that widened Neil’s eyes, before they narrowed back in distrust, “What’s in it for you?”

“Starting from now, you will detangle yourself from Kevin’s life. So when our deal ends, if you go down, you will not take him with you.”

Neil fell silent as he considered the terms. Then, he stood and held out his hand. Andrew appraised it before carefully slotting his own into it.

“Deal.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on tumblr [@petalplate](https://petalplate.tumblr.com/)


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